


well-met by moonlight

by havisham



Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Back to Middle-Earth Month, M/M, Moonlight, Romantic Friendship, Short & Sweet, things that would be very romantic if someone wasn't sauron
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-08
Updated: 2019-03-08
Packaged: 2019-11-15 01:23:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18063905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/havisham/pseuds/havisham
Summary: Celebrimbor takes a midnight stroll and has a pleasant meeting by moonlight.





	well-met by moonlight

**Author's Note:**

> Written for B2MeM 2019, for the prompt N39 - The Late, Great Mary Oliver Card - “... makes me take measure of myself / one iota of pondering heaven”.

The moon had hidden itself that night under layers of darkened clouds and mist, but still Celebrimbor felt a familiar restlessness that guided his feet away from his workshop and into the rain-sodden garden. His bare feet sunk into the ground and the smell of green, bruised but vivid, rose to meet him. If he breathed in deeply, he could perhaps catch the scent of the long-vanished rose gardens of Nargothrond, grown from cuttings brought to Beleriand by Finrod, from his beloved’s gardens. 

In the haste and chaos of the last days of that old city, Celebrimbor had taken cuttings of his own, but they had not thrived. He could not keep living things alive. Not for long. 

“Why are you out here, Curufin?” said a voice at his shoulder. “Do you wish for distraction -- or do you seek refuge from me?” The last question was said teasingly, with full confidence that it was not true. 

Celebrimbor found himself grinning, despite the melancholy direction of his thoughts. “Not so, Annatar. But I do wish you wouldn’t call me by my father-name. No one has ever used it. Not even my father, though he named me out of stubbornness.” 

He looked at Annatar, who looked back at him, amused. Maia, of course, did not need to think about naming their children -- with one significant exception. Celebrimbor supposed such specific distinction would of course seem strange to him.

Despite knowing that Annatar was a Maia, knowing he was not like him, there could be no doubt that Annatar’s current shape was certainly of a Noldorin -- no, of a Fëanorian mold. Celebrimbor looked to see the same sharp grey eyes looking back at him, the same pale skin -- though Annatar was not prone to blushing, as Celebrimbor was -- and the same dark hair, of course. The only difference was something inexpressible, the shape of the face of someone not born, but created. 

Celebrimbor dropped his gaze. To look further would be akin to vanity. 

“I was looking for the moon.” 

“Were you? More experiments on runes? Those are but child’s play to you, but you enjoy it, don’t you?” 

“I do,” Celebrimbor agreed. “But for no specific purpose. I merely wished to see it.” 

“Oh.” Annatar placed a light hand on Celebrimbor’s shoulder and leaned in. It was well that they stood at the same height, or else such a gesture would have seemed -- rather domineering. “Look up, my dear. Your wish has been granted.” 

And so it had -- the moon floated above their heads, a bright, careworn disc in a silvery puddle of clouds. Celebrimbor smiled. “I am older than the moon, but it still delights me. I am so small compared to it -- an one iota pondering heaven.” 

“Dare I suggest you stop contemplating the moon and look at me instead?” Annatar followed this bold suggestion with a kiss, sweetly placed on Celebrimbor’s mouth, and over before he could protest. 

“Perhaps I’m just howling at the moon,” Celebrimbor said sheepishly. 

“As a dog? Or as a wolf?”

“A strange question,” Celebrimbor replied. “But I expect that from you, now.” 

“I’ll have to surprise you someday,” Annatar said, leading Celebrimbor inside. 

Meanwhile, the moon slipped back behind the clouds, quietly swallowed by the night.

**Author's Note:**

> I write a bit more about the rose gardens of Nargothrond in [here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4627389). 
> 
> Celebrimbor's father name being Curufin (which is a horrible choice on Curufin's part, which is why I use it), I've seen floating around and mention in past fic of mine featuring Celebrimbor.


End file.
